The Boy Who Loved
by Elixabeth James
Summary: Harry Potter was told what to do and how to act his whole life, but people always forgot that he had emotions. It was being Cho and Cedric, it was people telling him who to be. He was Harry Potter, an awkward adult who was scared of being in a relationship in fear that it would be taken away. Drarry.
1. The Boy Who Hoped

**I'm back, I think. My anxiety is getting worse, but my depression is getting better. Progress! Anyways, you came her for Drarry and I hope I deliver.**

"Harry Potter?" He had heard the question asked many times. People from school pretending they didn't recognize him, or people pretending they knew him in school. He honestly was tired of the question. He'd rather someone ask if he was Severus Snape.

"Yeah," he replied. He looked up to meet the eyes of whoever asked such a redundant question. His name was in the papers almost everyday, he hated it.

"Lavender Brown, we went to Hogwarts together." She was just as giggly as she was in school. He sighed at the sight of what could be deemed the clingiest person on the planet.

"Yeah, we did." He waited for an excuse to get out of this uncomfortable situation. However, he was Harry Potter, drinking coffee and reading the Quibbler were foreign to him in public. Her eyes shifted quickly to his Quibbler.

"Loony Lovegood writes those now, yeah?" She smirked thinking he would play along. She was now twenty-two and was desperately trying to "act cool."

"Luna is a quite fantastic writer, in my opinion." He couldn't help but emphasize the name of his friend.

"Well, she is a Ravenclaw." Lavender snatched the Quibbler and flipped through its pages. "But all of these made up creatures. It's like she's still trying to get attention."

"Luna isn't trying to get attention, she's trying to gain awareness. I think we're done here, I have a meeting to get to." Then he left. Lavender stood by his, now empty, table flabbergasted as he sauntered out of the shop. Harry couldn't help but want to defend his friends from those who idolized him. He did not want to be idolized.

Meanwhile, Draco slowly walked to the door after a long day. He lived in a mansion, a cold, dusty mansion. After Hogwarts, he wanted to live in a flat, but his father insisted. His mother was kinder, but she could not convince Lucius to let their son get a flat.

He checked to see if any owls had arrived while he was out, but nothing was insight. His friends had all scattered after they graduated, some getting into trouble. He had become a healer and was doing quite well. His silent life contemplation was interrupted by a rap on the window. An owl.

He thanked to owl for the letter he now held. It was from McGonagall herself. She was now the headmaster at Hogwarts, aa much a deserving position for one such as herself. He scanned the letter quickly, and then again to make sure he read it right. She wanted him to teach potions, which did not make much sense. He was a healer, not a potion maker. However, potion making was sometimes a part of his job. She also believed that he would be able to help students who made dreadful mistakes because the healing wing was far from the classroom potions took place in.

He did not know what to do.

However, a certain Harry Potter knew exactly what he was doing with his life.

"A teaching position is an important thing, Mr. Potter." McGonagall kept her lips pursed as she look at the boy who still could not seem to control his hair.

"I'm aware," Harry replied. He kept a small smile on his face, teaching was what he was meant to do.

"Alright, classes in September, that gives you a month to prepare lesson plans, et cetera. Anything that seems dangerous to our students should be run by me first, is that clear?"

"Yes ma'am." Harry Potter smiled as he thought of living in this castle again.

"I'll show you to your office." She lead him down the halls to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. She showed him an office he recognized all too well. Memories, both good and bad, were held in these walls.

"Thank you, McGonagall." She left him there. The office was a nearly bare room, only containing a desk. He sat at the desk and filtered through the papers in his briefcase and began to construct a plan. He sighed as he remembered the amount of content on him in history of magic.

"This is going to be a long year," he sighed.

"I can't believe this," Draco muttered as he looked out the window of the Hogwarts express. He was on a train with quite a few students. Correction: all of the students.

He had agreed to come. Draco was not sure why he would agree to such a thing. Teaching. Although, the look on his father's face when he was told the news was payment enough to keep this position. He was currently unaware of what he would meet at the castle. Most of the other teacher's had already arrived at the school due to "special circumstances." He felt like a late arrival.

He sat toward the front, away from the children. His companions were Neville and some woman he did not recognize. They were off to Hogwarts, a place that he loved and hated equally. It was a way to get away from his parents, as a child, but he never truly got away.

"Malfoy, what are you teaching?" Neville asked with a smirk.

"Potions." Draco stared out the window, away from the man he saw put through hell by some teacher's, sometimes by Draco himself. "I assume you're teaching Herbology?"

"Yeah, I never really enjoyed the class as a first year," Neville replied.

"At least it didn't have Snape." Draco kept looking out the window.

"At least," Neville sighed. Then the conversation was no more.

Draco got off the train and went immediately to where he would be staying, which he had been told by McGonagall. Neville following him until they found the teacher's corridors and left their trunks in there.

Neville and Draco made their way to the great hall, not together. Draco was slightly behind, but moving at a slight brisk pace until he ran into a boy and saw those green eyes.

**And now we're done for now! I'm sorry that some of my sentences don't flow well, I'm trying! Thank you for reading chapter one, I hope you enjoyed it! Please review, they let me know that this story is appreciated.**


	2. The Boy Who Smiled

**I'm posting everyday because, why not? I have written loads for this story because my new passion is writing fanfiction for two men who don't exist. Cool beans, let's go.**

Neville and Draco made their way to the great hall, but not together. Draco was slightly behind, but moving at a slight brisk pace until he ran into a boy and saw those green eyes.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going," Harry stammered.

"Potter?" Draco asked, and Harry met his eyes.

"Malfoy?" The cool grey was familiar. It was a new feeling to see this boy in front of him after all those years apart.

"What are you doing here?" Malfoy asked in a hushed tone.

"I could ask you the same thing," Harry retorted.

"I'm a teacher!" Draco kept his voice hushed, but he was starting to get frustrated with his rival and crush from school.

"So am I, Defence Against the Dark Arts." Harry let himself grin.

"Potions." Draco was concerned as to how he was going to work near this boy when, from the evidence of his years at Hogwarts, his flirting skills were subpar.

"I know you hate that I'm here, but, truce?" Hand stuck out his hand for Draco to shake. Draco wanted so much more than a truce, but he wasn't going to get that much.

"Truce," Draco replied, shaking the boys hand.

Draco found himself sitting next to Potter in the great hall and he couldn't help but feel a tinge of happiness. He also felt annoyance as almost every single eye in the great hall was on "The Boy Who Lived." Having a celebrity be a teacher is not always a great idea, but Draco appreciated it in this case.

"How's life been treating you?" Draco attempted at making small talk with the green-eyed boy. However, Potter did not hear him and Draco's attempt fell flat. He was trying to shove all of his feelings away because no, he did not love Harry Potter. That is certainly not the case and any who believe it to be so are quite daft.

The feast went on. The woman who sat next to Draco to him throughout the meal. He learned her name was Penelope and she would be teaching Divination. Draco found her stories interesting, but all he wanted to do was talk to Potter.

"It's weird having Harry Potter here, isn't it?" She asked. She must have noticed Draco constant glances to the boy sitting next to him.

"I guess so," Draco looked over at him again, chatting away with Neville Longbottom.

"Do you know him?" She smiled at Draco. He guessed it was now his turn to take part in the conversation.

"We met at Diagon Alley," Draco replied. "We were first years."

"You've known him since you were first years?!" She exclaimed. Draco laughed slightly.

"Yeah, granted we didn't always get along." Draco kept his polite tone. Penelope seemed quite starstruck with the "Chosen One."

"It sounds like a grand time," she sighed. "I barely ever saw him in the hallway." Draco sighed. Potter never really talked to him. It was Draco who talked and kept up the act. In truth, he was just horrid at flirting.

"Potter?" Draco asked as they walked back to their quarters.

"Yeah?" He had caught Harry's attention.

"Are you still with the Weasley?" Draco could not be being more obvious, but he hardly cared. He had to know.

"Ginny? No, we broke up ages ago. She understood really," Harry replied. Draco was confused, but when is he not.

"She understood?" Draco asked He couldn't help but be slightly confused.

"That I'd rather date blokes." Harry walked forward and left a gobsmacked Draco Malfoy behind. Harry Potter… liked blokes? Guys? Men? Harry James Potter would consider dating him? Draco had some thinking to do.

"You two seem to be getting along just fine," Penelope noted to the blond.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm really tired." Draco stalked off and entered his room completely and utterly shocked. It was a pleasant shock, but it was a shock.

Harry Potter.

Draco was so… happy and confused and ready to put his subpar flirting to work.

**Sorry this one was short. Penelope is an OC, I made her up. I don't really do OC's because I prefer characters that are already in the universe, but I just made one. Oops. Please review my dudes, it helps me know that people who are reading actually like what they are reading. **

**\- Love and Peaches, Jay Rose**


	3. The Boy Who Befriended

**Personally, I feel like all would not be well after the abuse and stuff these characters had to go through. But that's just my opinion. On with the show!**

"Mornin'," Draco greeted. Harry looked up at him.

"Morning. Be easy on the first years, don't scare them." Harry looked kind of surprised to be greeted by Draco on the way to breakfast.

"I'm not scary," Draco countered. He put on his best smile.

"Okay, I'll believe you." Harry walked ahead and Draco couldn't help but want to chase after him. He tried to keep at Harry's pace, walking next to him.

"What are you going to be teaching today?" Draco asked. Harry looked up from the papers in his hand to address Malfoy.

"I'm taking it slow with them for the first week. The first years are brand new, after all. I'm thinking werewolves, I mean their rights have skyrocketed in the past few years. It's not their fault they have to deal with it!" Harry smiled as he showed newspaper clippings about discrimination against werewolf employment.

"I see," Draco replied.

"What are you teaching today?" Harry returned the question with a smirk.

"Well, I'm thinking healing potions for the sixth years. Some aren't too difficult." Draco smiled at Harry because here they were, having a conversation.

They kept having conversations and were quite close friends by the beginning of October. Draco had made an effort to better his flirting skills from those he had tried in school.

"Morning, Harry," Draco said absentmindedly as he entered the hall on October 10th. Harry's head snapped up and he looked over at the blond man.

"What did I say?" Draco asked, concerned. Did he do something wrong. Harry was looking at him with the most bewildered look on his face.

"You called me Harry," he replied. Draco felt the blood rushing to his cheeks as he realized that was the first time he had used his first name in the eleven years he had known Harry Potter.

"Oh, did I?" Draco asked. Was Harry mad? He couldn't tell.

"Yeah… Draco." Harry looked over at Malfoy with a small smile.

"Oh." Draco and Harry spent the rest of breakfast discussing the most dangerous hexes they had seen performed by students. When they left to prepare for their first classes of the day they heard whispers of Professor Malfoy and Professor Potter. They ignored them as teachers tend to do when they have somewhere to be.

Classes and life continued as normal. Draco and Harry were friends, but not much else. Draco still sucked at flirting, but he seldom tried anymore.

"Potter."

"Malfoy."

Was heard whenever they passed each other in the hall, but since September, it evolved from a curt tone to a more welcome tone as if they were happy to see each other and did not bother hiding it anymore.

They were happy, but Harry knew he could ruin it. He tended to ruin things. Everything good in his life was taken away, always. He never got what he wanted because it wasn't what he was supposed to want. He wanted Draco as his friend, but could Draco be taken away?

Draco was struggling in a different way entirely. Every night he couldn't believe that Harry James Potter was his friend. The guy he had fancied since third year. He tried to push the feelings down, deep inside himself. Hide them. He wanted this, but was it worth the risk? No. It wasn't. All he could do was hope and pray that he would get his way, but he wasn't going to. He was Draco Malfoy, nothing came easy.

People hated him for his last name.

He was not going to be loved because he did not deserve love. He would take the friendship he has been given and not ask for anymore because they might realize how horrid he really is. They might see through his lies and facade to the pain behind every smile.

He wanted to be friends.

**I really should stop skipping time, but it's so much fun! I'm sorry this one is short! Please review. I'd like to thank everyone because I just got my first review and it made me incredibly happy. Thank you so so much!**

**Love and Peaches, Jay Rose**


	4. The Boy Who Kissed

**As you wish, another chapter of The Boy Who Loved. This has been my favorite fanfiction to write and more is to come! So, relax and keep reading, please. **

Everything was normal until November 23rd.

Harry had finished up his classes for the day, and was almost done grading essays. The pile was a mismatch of geniuses and students who were obviously not paying attention in class. Expliamus was not spelled with an 's' a fact many students seemed to be forgetting. He looked up and sighed at the clock, one a.m.. He tried to finish grading the final essay as quickly as possible. After a moment, he stood from his chair to walk to the potions classroom. Draco had told him at dinner that he had many things to do and might not be able to finish them, which prompted Harry to want to assist him in any way possible. If Draco was still up, it must be rather difficult.

Harry knocked on the classroom door before entering the cold room. It smelled an awful lot like Draco's cologne. Draco was busy on a cauldron of potion, sighing as he finished stirring it. He picked up a glass jar of what looked to be some sort of leaf and walked to put it away when Harry spoke up.

"Draco, what are you making? It smells an awful lot like your cologne in here." Harry cringed. He ran over when, for whatever reason, Draco dropped the jar of whatever the leaves were and it shattered on the floor.

"Draco! Are you alright?" Harry asked as he helped the blond clean up the mess he had created under interesting circumstances.

"Uh huh," Draco replied absentmindedly. He was not alright. Harry smelled his cologne in a room that smelled like parchment and Harry Potter. He smelled Draco in a room that smelled like amortentia. That would mean… Harry fancied Draco.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. I did knock," Harry rambled. He couldn't understand why Draco would drop a jar. Draco was far from clumsy, he was graceful and poised. This was partially due to the years of abuse making him to be so. Purebloods had hard lives.

"You did knock," Draco replied. He cleared his throat as he used a spell to repair the shattered jar. Harry noticed the smell of the room was coming from a particular potion, the one Draco had finished brewing. It smelled like Draco's cologne and paper and breakfast and… ferret?

"What were you…" Harry trailed off as he looked back at Draco who appeared to be blushing. Why would Draco be blushing? It did not make much sense to Harry.

Draco took a step toward Harry and looked him in the eyes. He may not be able to flirt, but for whatever reason, the Potter boy had fallen for him. He took another step toward him, leaving very little space in between them. This was it.

Harry's breath hitched. He did not know what was happening in this moment. Draco was close but….

Draco leaned closer and Harry just stood there dumbstruck. They were friends, right? He couldn't possibly comprehend them being more at the moment. They were the kind of people who stayed friends. Friends.

Suddenly Draco's lips were on his and he didn't know what to do. It was perfect. Both boys knew this. Harry suddenly could comprehend them being way more then friends. Being defined and together. Draco was internally screaming at himself for being so daft.

But, just as soon as it began, it was over. Harry wouldn't want Draco. That was impossible. It would never happen because Draco was meant to be alone. Draco was meant to be all by himself forever. Nobody would ever love someone so broken. He was in so many pieces that he would never be able to be put back together.

"I'm sorry, that was stupid," Draco muttered as he brushed past Harry toward the door. Harry wanted to chase after him, but he felt stuck where he was. His fingers touched his lips and he couldn't help but smile a little. Draco fancied him.

"It wasn't stupid," Harry mutered as he placed the lid on the cauldron and turned off the heat. Draco Malfoy was everything he wanted. Somebody who was there. BUt, the more Harry thought of it, the more it terrified him. Draco would only be taken away. He didn't deserve to keep what he wanted. He never got to. Being comfortable and fancying someone were risky things when you are Harry Potter. He couldn't imagine what to do.

He walked down the hall to see if his mind could be put at ease. THere was nothing he could fathom helping. He was alone. As he walked along the castle's corridors he remembered something.

They weren't at war.

It was a long shot, but he and Draco could possibly be together and be okay. Everything could be okay. It was possible.

He couldn't help but think about the what if's. What if they did?

Draco Malfoy, the boy he never thought he'd fancy, fancied him. This was going to turn out well, or at least he hoped it would. They could make it, maybe.

He only forgot to realize the panic that was going through Draco at the moment. He had kissed the boy he fancied. God, he sounded like a fifth grader.

He could not believe that he did that. How could he be so stupid? Harry was going to hate him. He couldn't help but imagine how horrid tomorrow would be. Harry would ignore him, obviously. It would be so awkward. Or… what if Harry hated him?

Draco would just have to avoid him at all costs because he could simply not deal with such a thing at this point in time.

Draco Malfoy had kissed Harry Potter.

What was going to happen now?

**Dun dun DUUUUNNNNNN. This is a longer one than our last chapter. I'm really trying guys, and I'm hoping you like it! I may have to take a mental health break soon, but so far this is relaxing. School is starting and I will be more busy than usual, but I know I can at least try to manage. New chapters may have to switch to weekly!**

**Love and Peaches, Jay Rose**


	5. The Boy Who Avoided

**Guys, I just finished editing this. I wrote the whole story, but EDITING. I'm sorry if it's bad, I'm not very good at writing, but I'm trying. Let's go!**

Draco didn't talk to Harry the next morning. He kept his distance. He couldn't face him… not after… that. He was so stupid. Amortentia isn't a complete proven science, anyone could wear Draco's cologne. He was so stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

Harry Potter was probably utterly disgusted with that wretched display of affection. Why couldn't he control himself? He and Harry were never going to be a thing. Never.

Harry, on the other hand, was quite happy that morning. He had forgotten his anxiety and wanted to see Draco. To talk to him. To…. That probably wouldn't happen, but this seemed to be quite a wonderful thing to happen.

"Morning, Draco." Harry sat next to Draco at the table. Draco stiffened at the sound of his voice. No, Harry didn't want to talk to him. No. He was about to yell at him, or something. Something awful was bound to happen in these next moments and he was not prepared.

"Mornin'," Draco mumbled. Harry looked over at him, he seemed off. Why would he be off. Did he not fancy him? He must think last night was a terrible mistake. He was losing draco over something so stupid. Well, not stupid, but stupid. He could simply not believe that he would be so daft to assume that things would be okay. Nothing was ever okay. Thinking you have life under control will only worsen it. He could play dumb? Nothing was wrong because nothing happened. They were okay. They were friends.

"You alright?" Harry asked. He could not think of why Draco would be acting this way. No, not a single reason why. He certainly was not burying his anxiety deep inside himself to conceal how much he was freaking out at the moment. That was definitely not what was happening.

"Yeah." Draco looked down at his plate of eggs and nimbled on the remnants. How could he be so stupid? He kissed Harry Potter. You don't just walk around and kiss Harry Potter. Who would be so daft? Draco was bloody daft. It was his own fault to think they could be… something. They couldn't, it would never happen, not in a million years. They were nothing at the moment and it would take a lot to salvage the friendship Draco had destroyed with his idiotic actions.

As Harry looked over at the blond, he couldn't help but blush as he remembered last night in the potions classroom. Why did Draco have to go away? Just because of a bloody kiss, which Draco initiated. Draco must understand that Harry couldn't control his life, but he wanted to. He was Draco to be in his life. However, he could because they were stuck as friends, and he wasn't even sure what they were right now. He wanted Draco to be his friend.

Neither of the teachers were focused much that day. Harry stumbled over Expelliarmus with the first years and Expecto Patronum with the seventh years. He could barely think, and the students noticed. They enjoyed Professor Potter and tried to assist him and listen with their best ability. He was struggling. Draco stumbled over teaching what amortentia was and its uses as he remembered last night. He was so daft to think that Harry fancied him. Harry Potter did not, in any way, fancy Draco Malfoy, it was impossible. Draco tried to explain it to every student, but it did not always make sense. Some thought the potion to be rather silly, not the dangerous thing it actually was.

"It smells like pine trees, and camp fires." A sixth year girl replied when he asked her. Another student immediately began arguing about how it smelled like books and mint. Draco could not help but be slightly amused at the students looking awfully perplexed in his classroom. He began his explanation in order to prevent further arguing, and any accidental confessions. Sometimes it wokred out, sometimes it did not. The students began to think that the potion was quite extraordinary, but were disappointed when they began brewing something else. Draco did not know a way to explain the reason they could not brew Amortentia due to its danger and additive nature.

Draco sighed as he sat at his desk, letting the students brew their potions without guidance for the time being. He would walk around in a minute or so to make sure that none of them were partaking in dangerous behaviors. Draco himself couldn't believe that he kissed Harry Potter. How could he be so daft? He had torn their friendship to shreds with his utter stupidity. Who would even fathom the idea of Harry Potter ever fancying them? Draco Malfoy, that's who. The biggest bloody idiot the world has ever seen.

"Professor?" A student asked. Draco immediately ceased his self pity in order to help the student who could not figure out which leaf was which. Leaves are shaped differently and books have guides for this sort of thing, but ask the teacher to point the almost obvious fact out for you, if you must. Some must and that is okay.

Meanwhile Harry was trying to teach seventh years about the importance of a happy memory, something that seemed quite distant to him at the moment. It was going okay. Two out of the forty students had produced a patronus and there was still class time left.

"It needs to be a truly happy memory," Harry explained to the same student for the tenth time. They couldn't fathom the possibility that when you got your phone is not a happy enough memory. ONe would need to focus on one of a more… happy happenstance. Making friends, I love you's, et cetera, make them happy. Think of the happiest you have ever felt and find that memory and use it.

Slowly, but surely students began producing patronuses. They were beginning to understand the why behind the happy memories because it was much easier when they were truly the happiest. Eventually, half the class had produced a patronus. The remaining twenty had time to learn and could practice. With the unlikeliness of a dementor attack in this day and age, they were more a way to practice difficult magic and they could be used in this day and age.

"That is the end of class! If you have not produced a patronus, it is a difficult kind of magic and takes practice. Class dismissed." Students began filing out of the classroom. Harry thought of what his next step would be. Draco was being taken away from him, that much was obvious. However, could he change it? Was such a thing possible? All he wanted was to be there for Draco, for them to be friends. He could never get what he wanted. That was unlikely. Very unlikely.

"Professor Potter?" A girl asked as she approached his desk. Harry snapped his head up, pulling his attention from himself to her.

"Yes, Miss Haddish?" Harry replied. She seemed… concerned.

"How do you know if a memory is happy enough?" She must have been one of the ones who could not produce a patronus.

"You just have to think about one moment you felt pure happiness and go from there. Find your happiest memory. It's a difficult task to undertake, but I believe in your ability." Harry stood up and began walking towards the door behind the girl.

"Thank you, professor." With that, she walked away. Harry turned to the great hall to attempt to live through another meal of sitting by the ever so silent Draco Malfoy. He didn't know how much longer he could take it, but he had to.

He was Harry Potter.

A week had passed of this awkwardice. Neither professors were coming forward out of fear of rejection.

Rejection, a fear so powerful it can keep perfect couples separated. It was something clouded by your own beliefs. Your insecurities were the one thing in the way of relationships sometimes. That was the case for Draco Malfoy, the boy who wasn't good enough. He was scared of rejection to a terrible extent. The whole week Draco kept to himself, internally ridiculing himself outside of classes, and sometimes in classes.

They wanted each other, but both were dealing with their own monsters, which blinded them from properly seeing how the other was reacting. They did not see that rejection was not likely. They could not open their eyes wide enough to come to that conclusion.

So they didn't.

**I bet you wanted something else to happen, but ****_come on_**** these guys have gone through so much, it's not going to be perfect. I mean to emotional abuse and traumatising events wouldn't just go away, they would linger. I sorry. **

**Love and Peaches, Jay Rose**


	6. The Boy Who Comforted

**Hi, life is pretty hard right now and writing is taking a toll on me. I'm so sorry. Someone did comment about my story needing more editing and I agree, the first two chapters definitely do and I do edit the chapters, a lot of them have been rewritten. The story has actually lengthened a tad. Also, my story doesn't have an end because I'm not done writing it. I have so many chapters written, but they are not edited that is why I need breaks. Anyway, on with the show!**

Harry cringed as he awoke in the middle of the night, his mind still having a lingering tingle of the nightmare that had previously filled it. He groaned as he found the time to be 2:30, he was not going to be able to sleep after such a thing. He placed his feet on the floor and tried to stand up on his wobbly legs.

Nightmares were a common thing for Harry. With all that he had gone through, one would be surprised if he did not get nightmares. Getting killed, getting used, all the utter abuse he had received had left a permanent imprint upon both his unconscious and conscious mind. He thought to himself that chocolate would be the only thing that would make him feel better. He searched for a moment before realizing that he did not have any chocolate at all and would have to deal with the sinking feeling in his chest for the rest of the day. He huffed and sat on his bed. And then he heard a shriek, a cry, and then a loud thump.

Harry stood up and walked to investigate. He knocked on Draco's door before cracking it open. There he was, shaking on the floor, still asleep. Harry thought for a second about what he was doing. This was a terrible idea. Why was he in Draco's room? He wasn't thinking straight. He shouldn't be here. This wasn't something he should do. He was stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

But then there was a cry and a whimper, Draco was shuddering.

"Draco," Harry whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder. He gently shook Draco's shoulder, "it's just a dream."

Draco did not wake up, but he rolled onto Harry's lap, snuggling into him. Harry stroked his hair as he tried to calm him down, if he couldn't wake him up, he would at least try to ease the nightmare.

Draco's breath quickened and he clenched onto Harry's shirt. Harry hushed him and continued to stroke his unruly blond hair.

"Draco, it's only a nightmare." Harry watched as Draco's breath quickened. He was trying to help, but he never was much help to those around him, was he? Then he watched as Draco's eyes fluttered open, his breath still shaking.

"It's alright," Harry hushed. Draco looked up at the horrid green eyes he did not wish to meet at this moment, in this particular state. He was a mess. Why would anyone want to see him like this? No one would. Of course, Harry did not want to see him he had messed everything up and ruined it. He just wished he could undo that kiss and change everything to how it was before. They could be friends. Draco would be quite okay with the idea of friendship now, after losing someone so important to him. He only wished he wasn't lying in Harry's lap with his hair as messy as it could be. This was utterly embarrassing.

"I'm sorry I woke you, you can leave now," Draco said rather coldly. Harry knew he should leave, Draco obviously did not want him here, but he had to make sure he felt okay. Harry knew the horrors of nightmares. Hew knew the sinking feeling they left in your chest after you woke up. He had to help him, not doing so was out of the question.

"You didn't wake me," Harry explained, "I was already awake. Come on, let's take a walk to the kitchens."

Harry and Draco walked side-by-side to the kitchens where Harry gave him chocolate because, well, it helps with everything, doesn't it? They did not speak much because neither was confident, but as Harry saw that Draco didn't hate him he began to think that maybe he wasn't losing Draco. Maybe everything would be alright. The only thing that would cause any upset was the kiss. Harry sought to correct this situation to reinstate he and Draco's friendship, or maybe more could come out of it.

The next evening, Harry sighed as he walked toward the dungeons instead of the great hall. He begrudgingly entered the potions classroom to find Draco at his desk talking to a student. Harry thought it best not to interrupt so he stepped inside and stood almost in the doorway. Draco appeared to be such an amazing teacher and Harry only hoped that they could talk. Draco was still avoiding him this morning, but Harry sought to correct that. Draco Malfoy would hopefully talk to him. The student was done talking in a few moments and smiled when she saw Harry in the doorway.

"Hello, Professor Potter," ase said lightly as she practically danced out of the door.

"What do you want, Potter?" Draco asked, not looking up from his desk. He was writing on parchment, possibly grading homework. He was stiff, but he said something, which was progress. Draco himself was internally freaking out that Harry was here to ask questions about last night and Draco didn't want to have to answer them. What if Harry was here to mock him? His hair, his tears, he had been an utter mess. Harry saw the mess that Draco Malfoy truly was.

"I'm, um, here about our falling out." Harry stepped toward the desk, his smile small. His confidence was basically nonexistent, but he hoped that Draco wanted to be friends or even more because that would make Harry so amazingly happy. He wanted him and Draco to be friends. He didn't want to lose him because he only lost everything he ever loved. That's all that ever happened. Harry lost and lost, but maybe he could keep one friendship without it crumbling.

"I apologize, but I really must be going." Draco was not ready for this conversation, the rejection. He walked past Harry again, but this time he didn't let him leave. Harry grabbed his wrist. His confidence became higher, but it was still rather low. Draco was important to him, Draco kissed him. That must have meant something. Maybe Draco was scared, or Harry was just an idiot. He wanted Draco to be his. He hoped he wasn't reading anything wrong in that moment, but it's hard for a kiss between two men to be ruled off as nothing or as a friendly gesture. It was a difficult thing to do, so Harry tried to muster all of his confidence in these next moments.

"Draco," Harry said, pulling him back. Draco was terrified of this moment. He was terrified off being told they were nothing that Draco was too much drama. It's what happened with the others in his life. Draco didn't want to hear that again, but he couldn't escape.

"What?" Draco asked. He turned to face the boy only to have his lips crash into his. The kiss turned needy and desperate. Draco grasped at Harry's hair, as Harry's hands drifted lower. They were on his lower back when Draco started walking forward, pressing Harry into his desk. It was magical. It was… okay. Draco wasn't being rejected. Everything might actually turn out okay. This was something that could go somewhere. Draco was the one who begrudgingly broke apart.

"We should get to dinner, don't want them wondering where we are," Draco mumbled, but he was beaming. He hadn't ruined them. He hadn't scared Harry away.

"Have to maintain professionalism," Harry mumbled. He pressed a quick kiss to Draco's lips before walking to the great hall. He hadn't lost everything. They were together… in some currently undefined way. Harry was okay with that as he walked out. Draco smiled and followed him. They made sure not to enter at the same time. They also fixed each others clothes as to not look as disheveled.

It's not as if they were ashamed, they just didn't know what they were and that is perfectly okay.

**Okay, I hope you liked it. I cried for two hours today and I couldn't stop. Yes, I calmed down when I started editing, but I do not have the mental ability to write as much right now. I'm not abandoning the story, but I have three reviews and that's fantastic, but I believe my mental health is more important than a Drarry fanfiction. Probably a sucky Drarry fanfiction, but I am trying my hardest. And I'm a mess, I really am, so I need to become a better me before I can continue posting this for y'all. Maybe I'll be better enough tomorrow, you never know, but I may not be able to write all next week. I'm sorry I'm leaving you without an ending, but there is one, it's just a while away. I'll have it up as soon as I can, but editing is too hard for me rn. I also am doing a competition for Harry Potter fanfiction and any mental ability I have left will probably be used for that. I'm sorry, but I will be back, I promise.**

**Love and Peaches, Jay Rose**


	7. The Boy Who Talked

**I am feeling so much better, but I do have to thank fangirlynerdy for their comment it really helped me come back. Thank you so, so much. And I am honestly feeling so much better. I'm not sure how often chapters will be up, but I enjoy editing them. I try to be funny, but I'm not very funny. On to chapter 7!**

Holidays soon came to Hogwarts, which found the Malfoy-Potter relationship still undefined. They were stuck. Neither wanted to bring it up. There they sat next to each other in the great hall. Neither wanted to deal with whatever tension they were experiencing, so neither brought it up. It was a fantastic coping mechanism both had developed over the years, but it wasn't very healthy. They continued pretending everything went on normally with them as best friends and nothing more because why should anything change? They certainly did not grade homework together, sneaking kisses every so often in the darkness of Draco's room. They certainly did not fall asleep together once or twice or ten times. Whoever insinuated such a thing? They were… something.

"Over the holidays, I would like you to write an essay on the importance of the holiday you celebrate. It must be at least six inches. Don't fret over it, think of it as a bit of fun. Class dismissed." Harry watched as the students scurried out of their last class before the holidays. Those who were leaving were set to go on the train tomorrow morning. They were excited for no classes.

"Have a happy Christmas, professor!"

"Have fun without us!"

"Happy holidays!"

Harry smiled as he shuffled through the papers on his desk and stuck most of them in a drawer. Students were still walking past, all of them excited for what the holidays might bring. For Harry, they meant a break. His family was almost non existent. He might go home to celebrate the holidays with Ron and Hermione, but they might want to be alone this Christmas.

He looked up to find Draco in the doorway of his classroom. Draco Malfoy, his… _friend_. He was standing in the doorway with such grace that it almost took Harry's breath away, but Harry James Potter managed to keep himself looking like nothing had occurred internally and he was not squealing in excitement. That was definitely not happening, not at all.

"Evening, Draco." Harry smiled as he walked over to him. How had Draco forgotten in the past five seconds how completely amazing Harry looked in this lighting? It seemed impossible now that he was here. Harry was… wow. He was wow. That at least was how Draco was feeling in this moment as his stomach flipped and his cheeks turned red. He couldn't help but smile a little. Harry was kind and also extremely hot. Draco couldn't get over that apparently. But, it's Harry Potter. He's hot, we know.

"Harry," Draco greeted. Harry and him walked side by side toward the great hall. Both were internally squealing and sneaking glances of the other. Draco wanted to start a conversation, but his voice appeared to be caught in his throat. He looked over about five times before finally clearing his throat to talk to Harry.

"Are you doing anything for the holidays?" Draco asked. Harry's mind came out of the clouds and back to earth with this question. He pondered for a slight moment as he imagined spending the holidays with Draco. It would be… amazing.

"I'm not sure, I might stay here. Are you doing anything?" Harry looked at Draco. Draco smirked because he knew the answer. He hoped it would come out as smooth as it was going in his head. He was only smooth in school because he was literally obsessed with Harry Potter and didn't care for the girls throwing themselves at him, or not doing that. He tried to be smooth with his next words, pausing before answering.

"I think I'm going to spend them with you." Draco could be smooth when he had confidence, something he severely lacked in his time at Hogwarts. He did it! Harry snapped his head up and he seemed to be short circuiting. He tried to regain his composure. Draco was… was he actually serious? That would be utterly amazing and he would be the luckiest guy in the world and he couldn't believe this. What was happening?

"That sounds nice," Harry replied. He thanked god for his voice not being mumbled or strangled. Draco could tell Harry was nervous, not that Harry knew. Harry thought he was doing rather well at hiding his feelings. He was not. Draco smirked knowing that he made Harry nervous and flustered like a bloody idiot. He could make Harry James Potter flustered. They sat down in their spots they have had all year in the great hall. Harry spoke up once more, "I would be going home, but I've never really had a home."

"What about Ron and Hermione?" Draco asked. The Golden Trio, inseparable throughout school. Draco would admit jealousy to their bond. He had wanted to be close, have friends. He did have friends, but they weren't inseparable like the golden trio was. Draco was over it, he was. He was! He could be close to Harry now, as teachers, not students, but he was still close to him and that was enough. He had a true and actual friend.

"I think they'd want to be alone this year. I believe Ron is planning on proposing, but don't quote me on that." Harry filled his plate with food as he talked. He was calming down after Draco's earlier statement. He was able to think straight and he was semi-sure of Ron proposing. Ron had told him he might, and Ron doesn't always follow through. Proposing… it's a big deal.

"Proposing?" Draco asked. He had never thought of Weasley as the kind to get married, let alone to Granger. Granger and Weasley never seemed to get along in school, but neither had he and Harry. Things change. People do weird things when they are totally obsessed with the other person, or that was just Draco. Draco had been obsessed with Harry Potter, but everyone knew that… except Harry Potter.

"Yeah, I'm not sure if Hermione is going to say yes." Harry sighed, he would be happy for his friends, but Hermione had planned on waiting until she was older to get married. Until she had an established career. She was a planner. Actually, she had a binder of her whole plan and marriage was not in this year, or even next year. Harry did not know when it was scheduled, but he knew that Hermione had told Ron the year she would consider it. However, Ron really loved this girl. They were in their early twenties, but that's no reason not to. However, for Hermione that was one of the hundreds of reasons not to. Harry wanted to be as far away from that as possible.

"They might want to be alone," Draco agreed. He let out a small laugh. Harry smiled back, but he was still a little concerned for his friends. He knew it might be okay. He decided that he could stay out of it for right now.

"Maybe." Harry looked over to see Mcgonagal talking to some of the other teachers. She was still her stern self, and a better headmaster than Dumbledore was. Draco followed his gaze before changing the topic to something less… personal.

"Where did you work before this?" Draco asked. There had been a five year gap between the end of the war and now. Draco knew this was Harry's first year teaching at Hogwarts. He couldn't help but wonder what the boy had done to occupy his time. He had never specified in their time of being friends. Draco wanted to get to know him better.

"I was an auror for a year, but I decided that wasn't what I was meant to do, so I became a private tutor for young wizards, or those who were struggling with their studies," Harry answered. He remembered the weeks of being rejected or embraced with excitement into people's homes. Teaching wizards with amazing talent and those who needed more help. It was a time of learning, but Mcgonnagal accepting his application was amazing and he would never forget the day he got the owl. He also realized that he was not aware of Draco's previous employment. So, he asked, "Where did you work?"

"I was a healer at St. Mungos," Draco replied. He looked at Harry who look a tad perplexed. If you have never seen Harry look perplexed, Draco swears the makes the cutest face on the planet.

"And then you became a potions teacher?" Harry asked, he was indeed perplexed. Draco smiled before replying.

"McGonagall wrote to me asking me to fill the position," Draco replied. Harry smiled. Draco had given up a probably successful career as a healer in order to be a teacher. That was… amazing. Draco cared for young people and for education. He wanted to teach, which was amazing. Teaching is a noble profession that should require a calling. A teacher who is not called to do so, is not a good teacher at all. Good teachers appreciate those who they teach and would give up good careers to teach.

"I'm glad you filled it." And Harry was glad. He enjoyed his time at Hogwarts with Draco as friends and… something else. They were almost defined. They didn't have to define themselves to be happy, but being defined leads to more and more until being defined can lead to… happiness. It doesn't require being defined, but a definition can definitely lead to it.

Draco Malfoy was… something to Harry Potter and Harry Potter was something to Draco Malfoy.

What?

You'd have to ask them.

**That was actually fun to write. Something was supposed to happen in this chapter, but that would have made it longer. So it's happening in the next chapter. This was over 1,500 words so I didn't think you would want to read more rn. The dialogue is important for future happenings. Promise!**

**Love and Peaches, Jay Rose**


	8. The Boy Who Defined

**Let's do this! This was an okay thing to write. I'm trying. Thank you to my reviewer, you are honestly helping me write. This is fantastic. Okay, so, chapter 8. Let's go!**

They hardly talked much the rest of the meal. Not because they ran out of things to talk about, but because they were too busy smiling to say much else. Penelope began asking Draco about potions he could help brew for her divination class. Potions that would clean crystal balls (she claimed they were too delicate for cleaning spells and must be washed,) and also potions that could be used to other learning purposes. Harry had never heard of potions for divination so he stopped listening. Harry ate his meal and smiled to himself, thinking. Draco was utterly perfect, wasn't he? He wanted to teach, unlike their potions professor from the years they came to Hogwarts. He was also willing to help the divination teacher, which was something he might not have done when they were teens. Draco Malfoy was one of the kindest wizards, and you can quote him on that. The finished soon and all the students scurried to bed.

Draco and Harry took their time to leave, simply because they did not want any eavesdroppers to follow them, as it had happened before. The plates were cleared and the house elves showed up and began cleaning what the magic failed to clean. Harry and Draco said goodnight to them because being kind to the house elves was not required, but it was a kind thing to do. Besides, Hermione would kill Harry if he was ever even slightly rude to a house elf. They walked side by side to their quarters, walking past Harry's and to Draco's. Draco glanced over at Harry, he was so perfect, wasn't he? The best git anyone would hope for.

"Did you give any homework for over break?" Draco asked. Harry sorted the papers from his bag into piles on Draco's floor. Draco watched him do so, but he knew. Harry was the kind of professor who seemed laid back, but did not hesitate to give out more and more homework. Draco knew it was some kind of essay. Pure evil resides in every essay assignment.

"Only a bit, did you?" Harry picked up a single assignment and began reading through it. He did not think anything of the conversation and had no thoughts important enough to not. If you must know, he was pondering why Allie Greye thought werewolves were cute dogs who could be domesticated. It was an interesting essay, but completely factually wrong.

"No, I'm not that cruel. How much do they have to write?" Draco asked, slightly amused. He picked up one of the assignments he had to grade. Hee too looked at how Fiona Darrow thought wolfsbane was a potion that could save those who were stupid enough to befriend a werewolf. It seemed oddly… angsty. He knew of Fiona being a werewolf, Mcgonnagal had talked to the staff of the issue. He might have to sit down with her after class when they resumed.

"Only six inches," Harry replied. He read through the first few sentences once again and began underlining phrases and writing notes. If he wanted to correct Miss Greye, he would have to properly grade each sentence to point out the flaws. Draco's head snapped up at Harry's words. He left Fiona's essay ungraded as he wondered why the Potter boy would do such a thing. Six inches?

"Bloody hell," Malfoy admonished, leaning towards the Potter boy. Harry looked up and their lips met. He discarded the essay and leaned into Draco just before he pulled away. Draco knew they had stuff to grade, but Harry in this lighting was something to die for. Although, Draco thought Harry looked good in all lighting. He bit his lip as he asked, "Harry?"

"Yeah?" They were still very close, a mere centimeter keeping them apart. Harry looked into the grey eyes before him. They were pools of silver and the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. In all honesty, Harry was mostly thinking about how much he wanted to kiss Draco again.

"The homework can wait, can't it?" Draco leaned in once more, kissing Harry before biting his lower lip. Harry smiled as he pushed away the homework stacks and pressed his lips against Draco's. The homework could wait because this was perfect. This was them. The kiss became less and less innocent as time went on. Draco reached to Harry's neck and removed his tie. His hands soon found their way to the buttons on Harry's shirt. Draco pushed Harry toward the ground. Both were soon shirtless. This hadn't been the first time they were in this situation, but this felt different.

"Is this okay?" Draco asked, his finger moved in a circle on Harry's hip. Harry knew what he was implicating. He knew where things were headed towards.

"Yeah," Harry replied, rolling them over as he began to kiss Draco's neck. Draco couldn't help but think about how perfect this was, how perfect Harry was. It was perfect. They were perfect.

Their relationship began to become more defined. They were no longer just friends, but they still didn't know exactly what they were. Harry walked him to breakfast each morning. They kissed good morning and goodnight. They always graded essays together, but they had to separate to get any work done. Draco does not take any fault, Harry simply looks too nice in the lighting… anywhere. Harry was just one of those people. And then New Years Eve came.

"Morning, stranger." Draco kissed Harry's temple as they awoke in Draco's bed for the third time that week. Draco looked down at this beautiful mess of black hair laying next to him.

"Morning," mumbled Harry as he squinted at the sunlight pouring into the room. He looked over at Draco, his hair was a mess. Harry was the only person who was allowed to see Draco with messy hair, at least for now. Harry couldn't help but apologize, "I fell asleep again, sorry."

"I don't mind," Draco laughed. He kissed Harry on the nose before adding, "I may even be trying to get you to stay every night."

"I have my own room, you know?" Harry pushed Draco lightly in the chest. Draco laughed once more as he kissed Harry for the first time that morning.

"What's the fun in that?" Draco booped his finger on Harry's nose before he untangled himself from the sheets. Harry stared at him as he picked up his discarded clothing on the floor. It took Harry a second to reply because….

"You get to sleep in your bed, without the appendage?" Harry raised his eyebrows, using the blanket to cover himself. He was also incredibly cold, it was December. Here he was, wearing nothing. He was an icicle. He wondered how Draco was able to walk around in this temperature.

"Why would I want that? I want to wake up next to my boyfriend." Draco looked to find Harry looking shocked. Why would he be? Then he realized what he said. He specified. Harry was thinking in his head. Boyfriend? Draco wanted him to be his boyfriend, or did Draco think they were boyfriends. Harry hadn't known what they were. He didn't know anything. He just knew what they did. However, that was only half of it and Harry couldn't help but wonder what Draco was saying. No, he knew what he was saying. Draco tried to salvage the situation. "I'm sorry, you don't have to be… that."

"No, Draco, I want to… be your… boyfriend." Harry smiled at the blonde. He specified. He wanted to be defined. While being undefined was okay, him and Draco were ready to be defined. They wanted that definition that could lead to more definitions. They were defined.

"Good." And then they kissed… passionately. _Very_ passionately.

Draco and Harry were defined. Boyfriends. It was a crazy idea, but it was crazy enough to work out.

**Yay! We defined their relationship! That's always a fun thing to do. Don't worry, there is more torture to come! Stuff is going to happen because I'm sorry, we have yet to reach the end. I'm just going to let them be happy... for now. Thank you so much for reading. Please review they help me know what you like and sometimes what you don't like. Please be kind and constructive!**  
**Love and Peaches, Jay Rose**


	9. The Boy Who Wanted To

**Hi! Sorry I haven't been posting, school is crazy. I just got a review that I found kinda funny. Maybe they were trying to be funny. I hope they were. I got a homophobic review. They started by saying "The Boy Who Loved Girls" and then went on to say that Harry and Draco realized that by being together, they were letting Voldemort win. What amused me most was that they read to the very end. Chapter Eight. Did they think this story was straight? I would like to end this long Author's Note by saying that Voldemort, a blood purist, would probably be homophobic. Therefore, being with a girl would be letting Voldemort win. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.**

When break ended, students were speculating the relations between their two beloved professors. Rumors were flying. However, Harry Potter, the chosen one, could, indeed, not be gay. It was impossible. Completely impossible and improbable. No, no, that was indeed quite unlikely. Never ever never. No. Harry Potter was not gay at all. No.

He was bisexual, excuse you.

Draco and Harry kept their relationship secret, and were surprisingly good at hiding it. The problem: Draco was never good at hiding his attraction to the Potter boy. I mean, Harry had the greenest eyes. Did you know that they could perfectly reflect the sun in such an attractive fashion that Draco immediately turned into a puddle? How whenever he was writing, he stuck his bottom lip out in concentration. Harry would smile whenever he was reading an essay where the student fully understood the concept. He would smile at students in the hall, no matter how bad his day was. How he loved questions. He also genuinely wanted to teach, which was an amazing attribute in itself. However, he couldn't help but think about keeping things professional. He couldn't help but think about the possibility of accidentally tarnishing Harry's reputation.

"Harry, I need to, um, talk to you." Draco poked his head into Harry's room. Draco smiled softly through his nervousness. He and Harry needed to have a serious conversation about this whole… situation. They were boyfriends, which was new and it was great, but was it practical? He didn't want Harry to have a tarnished reputation… again. Wizards tended to be unwelcome and it was time for a change, but was the wizarding world ready for the change that must be made? In his thought he smirked at the school-like mess of Harry's room. Papers were scattered across the floor.

"Yes?" Harry looked up from his shirt he was buttonning. Draco walked towards him and traced his fingers up Harry's torso to the buttons of his shirt. Harry was slightly concerned, but it was not a terrible situation that impeded the doom of an imploding relationship or anything utterly terrible. They might be okay. They should be okay. He can't lose Draco. He wasn't ready for this to be over. This new thing. It was a good thing. It needed to stay. At least for now. Please.

"I think we have a problem," Draco sighed, buttonning one button after the other. He almost wanted to do the opposite, but now was not the time for such things or thoughts. He didn't want to ruin something else because of his incapability to hide his feelings towards Harry Potter. He didn't know what to do. He wanted harry as at least his friend. He couldn't lose him. He barely had any friends. He needed Harry.

"What would that be?" Harry let his hands find Draco hips and he rubbed a circle with his right thumb. He could put his own spiral out of the way when he noticed Draco's worry. Draco relaxed at his touch, and was able to actually speak with an unstrained voice.

"Students, they think we're… together." Draco buttonned the second button to the top and grabbed Harry's tie from a table nearby them. Even though Draco was more relaxed, he was still jittery. He kept all of his attention focused on Harry's tie, rather than his face.

"This is a problem… why?" Harry smiled at the flustered blonde who stood before him. Draco tried to string a perfect sentence in his mind, but he was failing terribly.

"I, um, well-"

"Are you ashamed of me?" Harry asked, teasingly. Draco paled, as if that was possible. Harry was teasing, but he couldn't help but worry if that were true. Was Draco ashamed? If he was, Harry might lose him. Harry didn't want to lose Draco. They had something good. Something. Harry couldn't lose that. Harry couldn't deal with losing any of it. He wanted to stay with Draco. He did. Draco was amazing and he couldn't use that.

"NO!" Draco replied a little too loudly. Harry relaxed a little with a slight chuckle. Draco sighed before continuing, "um, no, it's just… we wanted to keep things… professional."

Harry sighed as Draco finished tying his tie. The blonde was always one for presentation. Draco looked… scared. Harry felt the pit in his stomach burn. He knew he shouldn't be worried, but he was. He couldn't lose Draco, he couldn't.

"Draco, nobody has to know." Harry squeezed Draco's hands in his own. Draco looked up at the man before him. Nobody had to know if it meant not losing each other. He also had no idea how McGonnagal would react.

"Are you sure?" His voice was quiet and scared. They couldn't lose each other, for they were used to such things. They were used to being forgotten, abandoned. They were used to everything they had being taken away from them. They were used to loss.

"I am, but when you're ready you let me know." Draco's arms snaked their way around Harry's waist as he embraced him. Harry hugged him, this fragile man who had to grow up too fast, as he had. No one had to know of this, or of anything about them in all honesty. It wasn't their business.

Over the next month Draco found that the rumors almost ceased to exist. There were few, but there were always few, long before they started dating. Some children lost interest, and some found that the two professors appeared to be just friends. They were not, but Draco was able to not look at Harry as much as he wished to. He didn't want Harry to leave him behind.

"Hey, Harry." Draco sat on the floor of his room grading the latest paper from the seventh years. Harry stood in Draco's doorway, a smile on his face. He loved the face Draco had when he was focused. His tongue stuck out just a little from in between his lips in concentration. Sometimes Harry was lucky enough to see him bite his lips when something that he found slightly difficult became blatant.

"You work too hard," Harry admonished. Draco looked up at the fellow professor. They both had to grade essays and there was no way around it. They could decide not to grade them, but that would be unfair to the students. They didn't want their students to have to wait forever on a grade. Some had already been waiting a month for their essays on werewolves. Harry found it difficult to grade some with bias against them.

"We basically have the same job, Potter." Draco looked up to find the face of his coworker. They were both teachers who. Both had to grade homework. Weren't they? Harry never seemed to be grading anything, but Draco knew that Harry had given them homework. He was one of _those_ teachers. Homework obsessed.

"Potter? Am I in trouble?" Harry smirked. Draco loved way Harry asked the question. It made him absolutely melt.

"Maybe," Draco replied. He stood up and met Harry in the doorway. He saw the way Harry almost dared him with his eyes. It was like he was telling him to come closer.

"I brought you something." Harry took a step toward Draco. Draco was basically a puddle of pudding at this point, but he had to pretend to be coy. Harry was coy, so he should be as well. He just wanted to kiss him, but kissing would mean further melting. Draco was not sure if his legs could hold him up any longer.

"Really?" Draco stepped toward him. He leaned toward him. Harry's breath tickled his lips. They were so close, and he felt himself slowing sinking to the floor. He had to kiss him, he didn't know how much longer he could stand it.

"Wait, I actually do have something." Harry stepped away from Draco. He withdrew his right hand from behind his back. Draco was aghast. His legs were jello, and he still had to kiss Harry. He had to kiss him, he couldn't stand it any longer.

"A rose?" Draco asked with a smile, but he was now melting even more. Why did Harry have to do this to him? "You got me a rose?"

"Of course," Harry replied, "I just thought you might want it. It's pretty, like you." And now, apparently Draco was in primary school again. His legs wobbled so much, he wondered how he was even standing. He had to pretend to be coy. He was not swooning, no.

"Potter, you are such a sap!" Draco let out a laugh as he stepped towards Harry, his face grew serious as he whispered, "I love you." Harry let out a shaky breath. He had never heard that before. Love was never something he knew, and when he did, he could never say it. Ron was not that kind of friend, the one who would say it. Hermione was not either. He'd never heard it before.

"I, um," Harry stuttered. He felt bad, he wanted to tell Draco, but he couldn't. He wanted to so terribly, but he felt his chest constraining.

"Hey, it's okay, you don't have to say it." Draco placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. Draco understood. He never thought he'd be able to say it either.

"I want to," Harry sighed, "I do, I really do."

"I know, Harry." Draco neered toward Harry and closed the gap. Their lips touched in a chaste kiss. Harry placed his hands on Draco's chest. Harry pressed into him, trying to show how he felt through a kiss. Their foreheads touched and Draco felt better. Harry felt better as well. Draco was over his jello legs, as he was now able to stand upright.

"You are the most amazing, okay?" Harry whispered.

"Thank you, I get that a lot." Draco smiled at him. Harry looked fake offended as his smirk appeared on his before rather serious face.

"You prick!" Harry shoved him away with a smile and began his way down the hallway. Draco smiled to himself as he rushed to the door.

"I'm sorry," Draco called after him. He laughed to himself as he walked back into his room to grade papers.

**Thank you so much for reading! Please review so I know that people actually read this. I'm trying to write, I know I have some bad grammar in here and I'm sorry.**

**Love and Peaches, Jay Rose**


	10. The Boy Who Broke

**Hi guys! I just want to say: don't like, don't read. I also just want to thank all the people who review with such positivity because it means so much to me! Thank you guys for helping me keep this story alive. Now, it's time fo rour tenth chapter!**

They were okay, they were. Draco would be overjoyed if Harry said "I love you" to him, but he understood if Harry couldn't. His childhood was… horrid. He had almost ran to kill Harry's previous family when Harry had confided in him. Draco couldn't imagine people treating someone so precious so… awfully. Love had been distorted in Harry's childhood, which sadly is a semi-common happenstance. His life had been hard, as Draco's had, but Draco's abuse was emotional and sometimes mental. It wasn't verbal… or physical. Everything went swimmingly from then on, relationship-wise.

"Draco, I can't find my comb." Harry walked into Draco's room that late February evening. Draco looked up, Harry's hair askew.

"I wasn't aware you use one," Draco quipped.

"I'm being serious," Harry groaned. He walked fully into the room, his hair slightly more unruly than usual, if that were possible. Draco honestly loved it this way.

"I am also quite serious," Draco stood from his bed and met Harry in the middle of the room. His heart pounded slightly, how was it that Harry could still give him butterflies? They were looking into eachothers eyes, leaning in slowly. His hand brushed against Harry's cheek, until it rested on the back of his neck.

"Hello, love," Draco whispered, leaning in to kiss him. Harry smiled against his lips. Everytime they kissed was like fireworks, which sounds cliche, but it's true! Draco practically melted into Harry's arms.

"I knew it!" Penelope shrieked from the doorway. The two men jumped apart. Draco's jaw dropped and Harry was blushing like mad. They were stiff, five feet apart now.

"Knew what?" Harry was awfully horrid at playing dumb. Draco began to smirk until he looked over to him. He saw the fear flash in Harry's eyes. He wished he could hold him, tell him that everything will be okay, but he knew that that would only frighten Harry more.

"Harry, it's okay." Draco took small steps towards Harry. He was testing how close he could come before Harry became scared of judgment. He let him come four feet closer. Draco grabbed Harry's hand with a soft smile. It was so perfect between them, Harry didn't want that to go away. Draco was the sweetest, the kindest. He wished he could tell him how he felt, but he couldn't get the words out of his mouth. He couldn't.

"The secret's safe with me, but this is definitely amazing!" Penelope's smile was wide. She was… something. Harry looked between them and calmed a little. Draco and him would be okay. He could relax.

"It definitely is," Draco said. Harry blushed slightly as he looked into his grey eyes. He couldn't believe that Draco felt so strongly about him. It wasn't as if he was oblivious, he only had never been able to fathom such a relationship happening for him.

"I would leave you two alone, but I actually came for a reason," Penelope began. She handed Draco a stack of essays. "You left these in the great hall at dinner, I thought I'd return them."

"Thank you," Draco replied, taking the stack and placing them on his desk. Harry watched him walk, it was always such a sight. Penelope began walking from the doorway.

"I totally ship it," She sang as she pranced down the hall. Draco looked over to Harry, who seemed a little concerned. He felt bad for him.

"Harry, she won't tell anyone if that is what's concerning you." Draco placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, but Harry shrugged him off and sat on Draco's bed. He seemed almost hurt… by something. What something was honestly slightly unclear, Draco just assumed he didn't want her to tell other people. They weren't ready for that. Draco wasn't ready for that either.

"It's not that," Harry sighed. He stared at the doorway, using magic to close it. He sighed as he put his wand down on the blanket beside him.

"What is it, love?" Draco asked. He sat next to the messy haired boy. Harry was about to shrug, but he knew that such a thing wouldn't fool Draco. He would keep prying. Harry wasn't ready for prying right now. He might as well tell the blonde boy across from him and hope that he doesn't laugh.

"It's just, everytime someone finds out, something bad ought to happen," Harry grumbled. Draco placed his hand on Harry's, and gave him a quizzical look. Harry didn't make much sense.

"I'm sorry, are you scared of Penelope? The ray of sunshine who teaches divination?" Draco looked at Harry skeptically. Harry looked at the floor as Draco wrapped an arm around him.

"No, it's just everything's so perfect," Harry sighed. Draco frowned as he got closer and closer to the actual problem. They were close. Penelope couldn't change anything she's… harmless.

"And believing that she is going to ruin anything is utter poppycock." Draco raised his eyebrows at the scared man sitting next to him. His life had been distorted, but he knew that this wasn't going to ruin anything, didn't he? Harry and him were doing amazingly. He loved this boy, why did he think anything could change that?

"Everything I care about gets taken away," Harry whispered. Draco looked at him. This fragile, broken man who had never been given something as simple as freedom to live his life the way he wanted. He couldn't date who he wanted or even have a normal school year because some insane wizard believed in traumatizing this poor boy for personal gain and blood purity.

"Harry, we're not at war anymore. You don't have to be the hero because we can... just be us." Harry leaned on Draco's shoulder. Harry Potter, the boy who lived, did he really still have to fit in the mold created by people like Dumbledore who always seemed to care? Did they care? They probably tried to, but in the end it never was about what's best for Harry. If you expect everything to be well, that cannot be the case because treatment like that leaves people broken into pieces. Don't raise a child to be slaughtered. They broke him because they felt he was the missing puzzle piece. Why couldn't he just have been a normal child? Draco didn't fall in love with him for his fame, but for his normality. Why would someone break such an amazing boy?

The next day, Harry seemed off, which would make sense. However, he seemed to be getting worse instead of better, which greatly concerned Draco.

"Are you alright?" He whispered in the hallway. Neither of them currently had classes on that Saturday morning. Harry was walking at a slightly faster pace than usual and Draco had to work to keep up with him.

"I'm fine," Harry said rather curtly before abruptly turning right, but he wasn't fine. Letters from home had come pouring in since last night. Hermione had said no. Ron was inconsolable. Everything was breaking. Ron's house had caught fire and… Ron almost didn't escape. St. Mungos was currently treating him, but it didn't look good. He was caught in this terrible string of events, and he didn't want to be in it. Everything was falling apart because whenever his life is beginning to go well, it all just has to fall apart.

"Harry, I'm here for you," Draco whispered before deciding Harry needed some space. HIs stiff shoulders and fast pace were a showcase of that fact. That's when he ran into one of his students.

"Professor Malfoy?" He asked, fidgeting with his hands. Draco looked down, a boy with brown hair and hazel eyes met him.

"Yes, Mister Greene?" Draco walked alongside the boy through an empty corridor. The boy was far too nervous to be asking a question about potions, which greatly concerned Draco. He had had some odd questions asked before and he loathed them at times, but at other times they amused him greatly. This seemed to be more of a personal question.

"I need your help," the boy whispered.

"What for?" Draco asked, sitting next to the boy on a cold bench. He fidgeted and looked anywhere but Draco, taking a deep breath. Moments later, he took another deep breath and seemed to calm down considerably.

"I think… I'm fairly certain, um… I'm gay." The boy's eyes showed fear to see how his teacher would respond. He seemed terrified. Draco remembered when he was terrified. He had hoped that the social climate had changed enough since he was a child for people to be able to feel accepted, but it seemed as though it hadn't.

"Does anybody know?" Draco asked softly.

"No, sir." The boy still seemed terrified.

"Well, those who love and care about you will still feel the same. I recommend you tell them, but not until you're ready." Draco gave the boy a smile, who gladly returned it. He remembered that feeling of expecting people to suddenly change their minds about you, but if people were really your friends, wouldn't they feel the same? If they were so quick to change your minds about you, maybe you weren't friends in the first place.

"Thanks, professor!" The boy ran off down the hall with the widest smile on his face. He reminded Draco of being young and so terrified. So fragile. He could only imagine how hard it was for Harry. He would have been stuck if the war hadn't ended. Draco couldn't help but think that maybe Harry was scared because he wasn't used to having something that was purely his and not tainted or affected by war and misery, but just us. It's only us.

**Yay! I tried hard on this and I'm sorry if it sucks. Please review *positively*. We love some positivity!**

**Love and Peaches, Jay Rose**


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